ASI booked for taking bribe

Ludhiana: Ludhiana rural police have booked a police officer for corruption, four days after he was caught red handed taking a bribe.
The accused, identified as ASI Gurmeet Singh, posted at Sudhar police station, was caught taking a bribe from an auto rickshaw driver. Complainant Pritpal Singh of Halwara told the police that he had sold an auto rickshaw to Amrit of Sudhar two years ago. Out of the total amount to be paid, Rs 50,000 had remained outstanding. Amrit gave him a cheque and stayed in touch with him for a week, assuring payment of the balance amount, following which he switched off his phone. The complainant said that after around two years, on spotting his auto rickshaw in Halwara village, he stopped the auto driver and took him, along with the auto to the police station, where he met ASI Gurmeet Singh.

Pritpal Singh alleged that after he narrated the incident to the ASI, the latter took the keys of the vehicle and told the driver of the auto-rickshaw to bring the person from whom he had purchased the auto to the police station the next day. He added that after the auto driver left, the accused demanded a Rs 3,000 bribe from him. When Pritpal told him that he did not have the amount, he asked him to give Rs 2,500 instead. Pritpal complied and returned home. On the next day, Gurmeet Singh called the complainant to inquire if the previous owner had shown up and a day later, he called again to tell Pritpal to hand over Rs 2,000 to him at Halwara station.